


something in common

by BlueGirl22



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Aromantic Character, Aromantic Sasha James, Asexual Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Canon Asexual Character, Coming Out, Gen, anyway aspec rights!, bonding over similar identities in the breakroom. yknow., oh neurodivergent jon but it's not that important/clear, two fics up in under twelve hours yall I love hyperfixating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24601261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueGirl22/pseuds/BlueGirl22
Summary: Sasha has some personal woes to get off her chest and Jon recognizes them a bit more than he expected.
Relationships: Sasha James & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 11
Kudos: 198





	something in common

Sasha puts a mug down on the break room counter with just a bit too much force than is needed. It makes a _clatter_ sound.

Jon looks up from his seat at the table, nibbling on a sandwich and browsing through the day’s newspaper. He takes it in, but says nothing. He’s her boss, it would be improper to.

Sasha continues to make coffee in a manner just left of calm. Fridge door swinging a touch too roughly, milk pouring a hair too quickly. Jon bites his tongue. He really shouldn't ask what’s bothering her. He really _should_ ask what’s bothering her. He should avoid making any decision on the matter and abruptly leave the room.

She finishes making her coffee and holds it close to her chest, leaning her back slightly against the counter. Taking a sip, she sighs and stares forward, eyes unfocused. She doesn’t look like she’s planning on going anywhere.

The prospect of sitting here for multiple minutes and saying nothing proves too daunting to ignore. Jon clears his throat. “Sasha, are you alright? You seem a bit, I don’t know, frustrated, if that’s not untoward.”

“Yes, I’m--” she rests her head on the cabinet behind her-- “ _fine_. It’s nothing major, just personal issues. Kind of, relationship sort of stuff. I’m fine, it’s fine.”

That answer pushes both on his desire to drop it _and_ to push forward. “You’re sure?”

He watches her face go through a few expressions, sliding gradually from forced calm into reluctant exasperation. “Actually, it _is_ eating me a bit, would you mind if I monologue at you about it for a minute? I know, I’m your subordinate and it’s unprofessional, but everyone else I know either is too closely involved or hasn’t been seen in nearly two weeks.”

Jon’s never been much of the “shoulder to cry on” sort, he’s not really fluent in social interaction, but he can’t help the curiosity building up behind his eyes. “Go ahead.”

“ _Okay._ ” Sasha pulls out a chair and sits down across from Jon. His brain briefly offers up the idea of saying _statement of Sasha James regarding a personal issue,_ but it vanishes as soon as it manifests. “This involves someone you know, so I’m going to avoid names.” She almost says something else, then shuts her mouth, weighing something. “You’ll probably figure it out anyway. Would you mind pretending you don’t?”

Jon shakes his head.

“So--” she takes a deep breath--“I’ve got this guy friend, right? And he’s basically my best friend at this point; we’ve known each other for a good long while. A few years, at least. And he’s always playfully flirted with me a bit on and off, but he’s like that with just about everyone, so I’ve never thought about it too hard and would usually respond by teasing him back. I assumed we were on the same page that _that_ , that _‘we’--_ ” she puts air quotes around the word--“were never gonna happen. But, a few months ago, we got a bit tipsy at a mutual friend’s birthday party and I spent the night at his.”

“ _Ah_.” Jon can guess both who she means and where this is going.

She gives a half-smile-half-cringe. “Yeah. And _I_ thought that was gonna be cool. Like I said, he’s a bit flirty and I know that wouldn’t be the first time he’d done that sort of thing with a friend, but I think, I dunno, I misread the situation? He must have actually properly liked me, because things between us got super awkward _immediately_ , and _I_ wouldn’t have felt tense about it on my own. That got better after a few weeks, obviously, but then he started getting more, not _flirty_ , exactly, but more _romantic_. Joking about how we’ll be married in a few years, suggesting we go out to more formal places than the pub, all that. Last time I went to his, I noticed he’d gotten a second toothbrush and labeled the box with my name.

“Every time he’s verbally made an advance, I’ve tried _gently_ to shut it down and let him know I’m not interested, but I don’t think he’s really getting the message. I love him, really, I do, but _absolutely_ only as a friend.” She lets out a deep sigh and sips at her coffee. “And I know, I know, he can’t help it if he likes me, I’m not communicating clearly so to him I probably just sound like I’m playing hard-to-get or whatever, and I should tell him outright, but that conversation is going to be like pulling teeth and I’m allowed to feel frustrated. I just wish he’d understand that I’m not going to reciprocate and he should move on.” A pause. “That’s it, I think. Thank you for letting me spill that.”

Seeing that she’s finished, Jon struggles a bit to respond with something fitting. “That does sound… awkward.” She doesn’t respond. The silence stretches on. He’s reaped the reward of satiating his curiosity and now must face the toll of trying to express the appropriate emotion. It’s not that he can’t relate at all, he’s had some similar situations in the past, but he can’t figure out how to convey sympathy. He thinks about what people in books say in these kinds of situations. “And you’re sure you don’t return his, erm, feelings?”

Sasha sends him a cutting but slightly awkward look and toys with the jewelry on her left hand. “Yes, absolutely sure. I don’t get feelings for people like that, never have.”

Oh. Jon knows that description. His eye is caught by her hands’ movement, and for the first time he notices a white ring on her left middle finger. “You’re aromantic.”

Her face brightens. “Yes! Yes I am! Sorry, no one ever knows what I mean when I just say the word, so I tend to dance around it, but yes, that’s it.”

He smiles a bit, and without thinking, starts talking again. “No, no, I get that, I mean, I’m ace so I get a similar thing.” Jon immediately feels anxiety clutch at his heart, he’s only told three people that before, but he doesn’t have time to dwell as Sasha’s eyebrows shoot up her face and she beams.

“Oh you are? That’s great! Always nice to meet someone a bit like me in the wild.”

Jon nods. “Yes, yes, it is.” His momentary spike in pulse slows, and he tries not to show how much he did not mean to say that. “Anyway, about what you were saying, are you looking for advice or did you just want to vent?”

She shrugs. “Venting, mainly. Like I said, I know what I need to do, it’s just frustrating.”

“Oh believe me, I understand entirely, I’ve been in similar spots myself. People not taking hints can be… infuriating.”

Sasha nods emphatically. “I sometimes wish that I could just project my thoughts into others’ heads without having to spell it out so plainly. Again, I know it’s no one’s fault if they want something from me that I can’t give, but why does everyone always assume that I’ll give it?”

He knocks lightly on the table. “You can say that again.” Ideas mull over in his brain. “But really, I hope and I expect that your situation will turn out fine. If this third party happened to be, I don’t know, someone I’m acquainted with and with whom I worked in a different department for a few years, then I’d wager he’s not the kind of person to react badly to this sort of news. I’m by no means a blind optimist, but I think you’ll be alright.”

Again, Sasha smiles. “Thank you. I think the same thing, but it’s good to get a second opinion.” She checks her watch. “I better get on with checking St Hugh’s College records about that cannibal priest statement, but it’s been good to talk to you. I’ll check in later.” Sipping her coffee again, she pushes out her chair and heads out of the break room.

Jon stays in his spot for a minute. That had felt good. As hard as he’s trying to be professional and austere, it really is nice to make a bit of personal connection. He gets up to go back to his office, and gives his right hand a bit of a once over. He had tried wearing a black ring for a few weeks in university, but had stopped after the stress of people possibly knowing anything about his personal life had proved a bit too much.

The next day, he comes into work and hands Sasha a file he wants her to look into. She doesn’t say anything as she notices the light glinting off the black metal on his hand, but she gives him a warm and knowing look. Jon decides that opening up sometimes isn’t so bad.

**Author's Note:**

> ...happy pride month! feedback appreciated via kudos/comments/messages to my tumblr @bisexual-evanhansen if you wish


End file.
